The lining is the part of a jacket that fails first. It is in constant friction with clothing underneath, it absorbs perspiration from both sides, and it takes the strain every time the jacket is put on and taken off. A jacket exterior can look perfectly good while the lining is in tatters.
When the lining goes, the jacket does not have to go with it. Relining gives a well-made jacket a second life — sometimes a third. We reline jackets at Angelz on Arlington Way, a short walk from Angel tube. Full relining starts at £65.00.
A full reline means removing the existing lining entirely, cutting and fitting new lining fabric, and attaching it so the jacket hangs and moves correctly. The price is £65.00 for a standard lining fabric.
Before any relining begins, we assess the jacket. The exterior fabric, the canvas or interfacing inside the chest, the condition of the seams and padding — all of it is checked. Relining a jacket is work worth doing when the outer shell is in good structural condition. If the exterior has significant damage, we say so before taking the job on.
The new lining is cut to the original pattern of the jacket. Fit and hang are checked after the lining is attached. The jacket is pressed on a form before it comes back to you.
Silk lining is the upgrade. A silk-lined jacket slides on and off over other clothing easily, sits without bunching, breathes better than polyester, and has a look and feel that polyester lining simply does not replicate.
The price for a full silk relining is £80.00. The silk is selected to match or complement the jacket’s exterior — we keep a range of lining silks and can discuss colour and weight when you come in. If you have a specific silk in mind — a particular shade, a printed lining — we can discuss using it.
Silk relining is worth considering for a jacket of genuine quality — a well-constructed suit jacket, a heritage blazer, or an heirloom piece that is going to continue being worn and deserves an interior that matches the exterior. The Crafts Council — the national body for skilled craft practice in the UK — recognises tailoring as one of the most technically demanding hand skills, and silk relining sits at the more refined end of that work.
Sleeves take the most abrasive wear of any part of the jacket lining. They rub against shirt sleeves constantly. The underarm section deteriorates the fastest. Sleeve relining — replacing the lining in the sleeves only, leaving the body lining intact — is £45.00.
This is the right option when the body lining is still in reasonable condition but the sleeves have worn through or torn. It costs less than a full reline and addresses the part of the lining that actually needs attention.
If the sleeves have worn through and the body lining is also deteriorating, a full reline is usually the better investment — doing sleeves now and the body in a year means two sets of disruption to the jacket construction rather than one.
We reline coats as well as jackets. A full coat relining is £85.00 — the extra cost reflects the significantly larger amount of fabric and work involved in lining a full-length coat compared to a jacket. Coat sleeve relining is £39.00.
Long coats and overcoats often carry linings that have been in the coat for decades. An old lining that has become brittle — the fabric tears rather than stretches when pulled — is worth replacing before it deteriorates further and starts to pull at the coat’s internal structure.
We also reline trousers and skirts. Trouser full relining is £29.99, half relining £24.99. Skirt full relining is £34.99, half relining £24.99. These are less common than jacket and coat relining but worthwhile for formal trousers in very fine fabrics, or skirts that are worn regularly and have developed lining wear at the hem or seat.
The honest answer: when the exterior of the garment is worth more than the cost of relining.
A jacket bought at a sample sale for £40.00 is probably not worth a £65.00 reline. A well-made wool suit that cost several hundred pounds and fits perfectly except for the lining — absolutely worth it. A heritage blazer that belonged to someone you want to keep wearing — worth it regardless of original cost.
The calculation is straightforward: does the jacket, relined, give you more value than buying an equivalent replacement? For any suit or jacket of real quality, the answer is almost always yes.
Bring the jacket in. We look at the exterior condition, the lining damage, and the construction of the jacket before discussing the options. If the lining is partially intact, we assess whether partial replacement is viable. We give you a price and a timeline before any work starts.
Most relining jobs take five to seven working days. The lining has to be removed carefully, cut accurately, and attached properly — this is not a one-day job. A rushed reline shows in the hang of the jacket.
The jacket comes back pressed on a form, with the new lining sitting correctly at the hem, the vents, and the sleeves.
We carry out the full range of jacket and suit alterations alongside relining. Our suit tailoring service in Angel covers sleeve shortening, tapering, pocket repairs, and trouser work. For zip replacements on garments of all types, our zip replacement service in Angel handles all standard and invisible zip styles. The full overview is on our tailoring page for Angel.
We are at 18 Arlington Way, Angel, EC1R 1UY — two minutes on foot from Angel tube on the Northern Line. Customers come from across Islington, Clerkenwell, Pentonville, Finsbury, and King’s Cross.
No appointment needed. Bring the jacket in and we will assess it before quoting.
Can you match the original lining colour exactly?
We carry a range of standard lining colours and can often match closely. An exact match to an original is not always possible, particularly for older or unusual lining shades. We show you the options before starting.
How long does a full reline take?
Most full relinks are ready in five to seven working days. We give you a specific date at drop-off.
Is it worth relining a jacket with a damaged exterior?
If the exterior has significant structural damage — torn seams, worn fabric, permanent staining — relining may not be worth the cost. We assess the full jacket honestly before recommending it.
Can you reline a leather jacket?
Yes. Leather jacket relining is assessed individually — the attachment method differs from fabric jackets. Bring it in and we will look at the construction before quoting.
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